red wings 2 (Detroit, Grand Rapids: credit, layoffs, live)

[billy666]

can the wings win game 7 and the cup?

[jeanniepep]

YES!

Go Wings!

[Bagger]

Originally Posted by jeanniepep

YES!

Go Wings!

No!!!

Go Pens!!!!!!!!

Wonder how Hossa feels now???

[Newtgirl]

Evidently they can't.

Devastating bounce off the crossbeam.

I watched my hometown boys blow it all the way in West Virginia

[Bagger]

Originally Posted by Newtgirl

Evidently they can't.

Devastating bounce off the crossbeam.

I watched my hometown boys blow it all the way in West Virginia

For what it's worth.... the Red Wings are the ultimate test these days... have a lot of respect for that team.

[JGatti]

Not taking any blame away from the Wings pitiful play against Pittsburgh. I am really starting to HATE the NHL. Bettman has turned it into a joke. The officiating is worse today than ever in the game. They want to change the game, make it faster, open up the neutral zone etc. Yet they don't call the playoffs the same as the regular season. The clutch and grab defense Pittsburgh played is the very defense the new rules were mean to punish. Not just this series, but the Chicago series was a joke. When Detroit was called for 4 penalties in the first, then they do make up calls in the 2nd for the Wings. What an absolute joke, and those helped the Wings but it was still a joke. I watched this game tonight and the Wings took stupid penalties.... AGAIN. But once again the Penguins got away with murder, checked with elbows high and just punished the Wings players. AGAIN. On one play the whistle sounds, Cleary is on his knee's and get a cross check right to the back of his helmet. No call. At the exact same time another Wing is knocked to the ice just in front of Cleary. No call.
People can cry and gripe all they want about how the refs don't decide games. But that is not entirely true. Anyone who has ever played a sport can tell you. When officials ae calling a bad game, and they DO call bad games. Teams adjust their play in an attempt to avoid the stupid calls. That's a fact and it's true in all sports. I don't believe there was a fix, but I do think there was a tendency to call the games in Pittsburgh's favor. I'm a die hard hockey fan, and I hate conspiracy theory BS. But this series was weird from the drop of the puck. For the record I complained in the games the Wings won too. I'd love to have the games on tape and make a montage of the missed calls, the raised elbow hits and just the crap that was not called both ways all series long.
Also, for the record. The Wings looked old, they looked beat. The did not fight for the loose pucks. There was a lot they could have would have and should have but they did not. So no I am not laying the blame on the refs. I just think them and Bettman suck.

[AliveandWell]

Originally Posted by JGatti

Not taking any blame away from the Wings pitiful play against Pittsburgh. I am really starting to HATE the NHL. Bettman has turned it into a joke. The officiating is worse today than ever in the game. They want to change the game, make it faster, open up the neutral zone etc. Yet they don't call the playoffs the same as the regular season. The clutch and grab defense Pittsburgh played is the very defense the new rules were mean to punish. Not just this series, but the Chicago series was a joke. When Detroit was called for 4 penalties in the first, then they do make up calls in the 2nd for the Wings. What an absolute joke, and those helped the Wings but it was still a joke. I watched this game tonight and the Wings took stupid penalties.... AGAIN. But once again the Penguins got away with murder, checked with elbows high and just punished the Wings players. AGAIN. On one play the whistle sounds, Cleary is on his knee's and get a cross check right to the back of his helmet. No call. At the exact same time another Wing is knocked to the ice just in front of Cleary. No call.
People can cry and gripe all they want about how the refs don't decide games. But that is not entirely true. Anyone who has ever played a sport can tell you. When officials ae calling a bad game, and they DO call bad games. Teams adjust their play in an attempt to avoid the stupid calls. That's a fact and it's true in all sports. I don't believe there was a fix, but I do think there was a tendency to call the games in Pittsburgh's favor. I'm a die hard hockey fan, and I hate conspiracy theory BS. But this series was weird from the drop of the puck. For the record I complained in the games the Wings won too. I'd love to have the games on tape and make a montage of the missed calls, the raised elbow hits and just the crap that was not called both ways all series long.
Also, for the record. The Wings looked old, they looked beat. The did not fight for the loose pucks. There was a lot they could have would have and should have but they did not. So no I am not laying the blame on the refs. I just think them and Bettman suck.

First of all, I just want to say this is a very valid and intelligent post. Brett Hull even once complained that Gary Bettman has ruined the NHL. I am not the biggest Pittsburgh Penguins fan and I did not like them anyhow when Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr were playing for them and I don't like them now. However, I give the Penguins credit for winning the series. I don't like Evgeni Malkin or Sidney crosby because I thought they were playing too physical and just pounding people. They may have won it this year but next time, they will be beat by someone in the Eastern Conference and I'll be happy

I sure hope Marian Hossa will resign with the Wings because he came so close to winning that Cup Yes the Wings are an older team, but I don't think age really had anything to do with them losing.

The bottom line is that the NHL has become too hard hitting, too physical and this has ruined the game. As for the referees missing calls, that happens in every sport for sure. They should have someone different as comissioner of the NHL for sure.

The Red Wings will still be a very good team next year and as a Wings fan, I congratulate their effort on making it this far. At least when Sergei Gonchar was a member of the Washington Capitals, the Capitals lost in the Cup Finals in 1998 in 4 straight games. I'm sure he wasn't too happy back then. Go Red Wings!!

[paulmcall]

Who do you think will be dropped in the off season?
I think Stuart is gone. He coughed up way too many pucks in our own end.
His contract is up and the Wings have defensemen to take his place. Hossa is toast too.
Maltby and Draper could also be on thin ice.
This might be heresy but Lindstrom finally seemed to be showing age too.

[Wingnatic]

I knew that when the refs didn't call the Pens with too many men on the ice for 21 seconds , our bench screaming , that we'd get screwed in this series . Nobody likes Bettman . He claims to want to promote the ''NHL'' yet only promotes the likes of Crosby/Ovechkin and thats about it . Here's a guy who continue's to award city's a franchise that are doomed to fail , and is hinting that he would like to expand the NHL to Europe as if our road trips in the Western Conference aren't long enough . The best players from Europe are here already , why expand there . The NHL Awards ceremony are in Vegas , no doubt Bettman would like to stick a team there .

I heard post game that Zetterberg was 70% healthy at best . What ! I didn't know he was even injured . And I think it will come out that more players than we know were injured and the ones we know that came back from injury normally in the regular season would not have come back so soon . Take Datsyuk for example . Bettman should be promoting him , he returned too early and his first game back a Pens player is slashing at his sore foot lol

To sign Hossa would me that Samuelsson (unrestricted free agent) and Hudler (restricted free agent ) will not be back with the Wings . Chelios we all know won't be back . You gotta hand it to our kids from Grand Rapids , they shined once again . Meech , Helm , Eriksson , Abdelkater , I suspect at least 3 of those will be full time Wings next season .

Actually we got screwed in the Ducks series when the ref lost sight of the puck in the Ducks crease , when everybody in the stands , on tv could see the puck was just sitting there . We scored they disallowed the goal . It's ironic they leave that decision to one ref thats positioned by the goal , when the blue line ref can and does call penalties by the net area from the blue line when the goal area ref lets it go lol Why do they need 2 refs then ? lol
To be heard by the NHL from a fans point of view , I suggest to join the NHLFA , because the NHL won't listen to what fans think seperately but will through the NHLFA . They send you a survey from time to time . Read their mission statement and decide for yourself.

NHLFA

[JGatti]

Originally Posted by AliveandWell

First of all, I just want to say this is a very valid and intelligent post. Brett Hull even once complained that Gary Bettman has ruined the NHL. I am not the biggest Pittsburgh Penguins fan and I did not like them anyhow when Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr were playing for them and I don't like them now. However, I give the Penguins credit for winning the series. I don't like Evgeni Malkin or Sidney crosby because I thought they were playing too physical and just pounding people. They may have won it this year but next time, they will be beat by someone in the Eastern Conference and I'll be happy

I sure hope Marian Hossa will resign with the Wings because he came so close to winning that Cup Yes the Wings are an older team, but I don't think age really had anything to do with them losing.

The bottom line is that the NHL has become too hard hitting, too physical and this has ruined the game. As for the referees missing calls, that happens in every sport for sure. They should have someone different as comissioner of the NHL for sure.

The Red Wings will still be a very good team next year and as a Wings fan, I congratulate their effort on making it this far. At least when Sergei Gonchar was a member of the Washington Capitals, the Capitals lost in the Cup Finals in 1998 in 4 straight games. I'm sure he wasn't too happy back then. Go Red Wings!!

First off thank you. But I have to disagree with the NHL getting too rough. I think the opposite. I think they have taken some important things out of the game and I also feel Bettman has really screwed up the sport BIG TIME. When Malkin went after Hank......in years past they would have dressed McCarty and sent a message. Your not going to screw with one of our stars like that. Without the enforcers to fear punks like Malkin can get away with the BS he did. With Bettman as commissioner Malkin does not get the suspension THE RULES say he does.
I felt the Wings stopped hitting in their own zone. They let Pittsburgh skate right in, slapping at the puck, not playing the body. I think the D needs an overhaul and it better come out that Hossa was hurt. You don't leave the team that's whipping your ass for the cup and not show up. He was a ghost. Pavel was hurting last night too. He was not himself. They need some size on the team. Along with some youth. I agree with with another post about who should go and who should stay for the most part. With the exception of Lindstrom. I think he was still nursing his injury. I also agree there were a lot more injuries than we know. Resign Hossa? Not sure if I'd bother, unless he was truly hurt. His playoff's was dismal.
Oh and with the play of Abdelkater, why the hell did you have Draper or Maltby in there? Experience? I'd take some youth with the experience elsewhere.